


A Chance Meeting

by SwellDame



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Dancing, Extramarital Affairs, F/M, I'm Bad At Tagging, Jealousy, Post-Season/Series 02, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-09
Updated: 2016-07-09
Packaged: 2018-07-22 11:35:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7436222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwellDame/pseuds/SwellDame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Milady and Athos meet again when she is the Duchess of Buckingham and what Milady thinks of Athos’ new look in s3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Chance Meeting

Athos was here. She was sure of it. It was not like the day on the road where a few moments of hope swelled in her heart before she leapt out of the carriage only to be met with an empty horizon. No, he was here. The rumors of the King’s Musketeers being in France at the time of war with Spain did not help Anne disregard the logic of him being here, especially now that she heard he replaced Captain Treville.

Anne quietly excused herself from her new husband’s side and made her way around the large, crowded ballroom. Her ears perked to every conversation she passed; her eyes searched for the likeness of his face. She missed this - the joy and adrenaline of the hunt. But why was she doing this? This was madness.

Stop this. He’s not here. She admonished.

She soon grew tired of going in circles, hearing the same faces and mindless chatter. Her new friend known as Defeat soon came to the rescue and she was soon ready to cling to it when her eyes fell on a the figure of a tall man with fine, shoulder-length chestnut hair. Her heart leapt into her throat despite her best efforts to rein in on her quickening pulse. Anne unsteadily approached him from behind. She held her breath. What to say?

“It is Captain now, I presume?” She called out, a clipped English accent she assumed when taking the identity of Duchess. His body stiffened, that Anne noticed. It was Athos.

She took a step back once he turned around. She didn’t know if she should be relieved or disappointed. They stood in silence for a moment, while they both measured each other with their eyes. His green eyes raked over her silk shoes, over her elegant blue dress, to the diamond choker around her pale neck, to her rouge lips, finally to her eyes. It made Anne suddenly feel exposed and foolish under his gaze. It seemed her dear old husband still possessed the special talent to make her feel vulnerable in the most public of places. She once found its familiarity exciting but that was a long time ago. Now she it was grating on her nerves. He looked the same, save for a peculiar new mustache and beard maturing around his full lips.

“What the hell did you do to your face?” Anne reached out and gripped his chin in her hand in an attempt to distract them both.

She ran her fingertips over his sharp, now clean-shaven jawline to the patch of brown hair underneath his lip.

Athos yanked his face away from her grasp. “It’s for a mission.”

“You look stupid.” Anne mocked. “And you’re a Captain now. You can afford to be lazy and stay behind.”

He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him. His scent of cinnamon and sandalwood went straight to Anne’s head, making her feel flushed and dizzy.

“And what of this?” Athos hissed, grabbing her left hand which was adorned with a gold band, emeralds and diamonds set in the middle of the band. It was large and garish in comparison to the simple band Athos had given her on their wedding day.

“It would be best for you to unhand me. I’m the Duchess of Buckingham now.” She looked deep into his eyes, daring him to blink first.

“Still a scorpion, I see.” He whispered close to her as the words pierced her heart. She swallowed.

“What is this? My love and the Captain of the Musketeers?” The Duke’s light-hearted voice broke their concentration and they immediately stepped back from each other as if one had scorched the other.

“If I didn’t know better it was as though you knew each other.” The Duke continued to smile as Anne took his hand and took her place by his side.

“I apologize Your Grace. With the room filled to capacity, I didn’t want Her Grace to be trampled and pushed.” Athos mumbled through an excuse that she could see right through. They both took a final searing glance at each other as if to say their conversation was not over yet.

“Yes, well, thank you for seeing to her. I was afraid of that myself when I saw she had left my side.” The Duke allowed his hand to drift around Anne’s waist, pulling her close. “She’s always disappearing and finding curious things to amuse herself with.”

“I simply cannot help it, Your Grace. Curious things are everywhere.” Anne responded and the Duke laughed, unable to hold back laying a kiss on her cheek. Meanwhile, she watched Athos’ face harden at their sign of affection. Inside, her soul smiled.

“I will have to speak with you Captain after the celebration tonight about this conflict with Spain.” The Duke explained, “But for now I must show off my wife.”

“Of course.” Athos bowed his head.

As The Duke lead Anne away, she did not see how they surveyed each other, as though a glove was thrown down between them.

And so the games begin again.


End file.
